New skipper Rahul Chopra confident of leading UAE’s cricket revival in ODIs

Dubai: Newly appointed skipper Rahul Chopra, who took over from Muhammad Waseem, says there is no pressure on him or the team as he begins UAE’s revival in One-Day Internationals with the Cricket World Cup (CWC) League 2 tri-series in Oman next month.

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The UAE, currently at the bottom of the eight-team table with just one win in seven games, will face hosts Oman and the Netherlands starting November 1. Chopra remains unperturbed by the current standings and is optimistic about the team’s prospects.

“Yes, we have won just one match in seven, but I am sure we can win the next four matches against Oman and the Netherlands. The reason for my confidence is that the conditions in Oman and UAE are similar, so we are familiar with the team and the conditions, which will be a disadvantage to the Netherlands,” the 29-year-old wicketkeeper-batter told Gulf News from Oman, where the UAE recently concluded their Emerging Teams Asia Cup campaign with a win against the hosts. “I am confident that I will be able to justify the faith shown by the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), who entrusted me with this role and thankful for giving me the opportunity.”

ECB's message

A statement from the ECB read: “Waseem has decided to step down as captain of the UAE men’s ODI team, but will continue to represent the country in the ODI format. The Emirates Cricket Board has thanked Waseem for his services as team captain and wished him the best for the future.”

The 30-year-old took over the ODI captaincy from CP Rizwan in 2023 and won seven ODIs while losing 19. Waseem has been a crucial part of the UAE’s batting line-up and notably scored a century against Ireland in the final of the qualifier for the 2022 Twenty20 World Cup in Australia. With the leadership responsibilities off his shoulders, Waseem aims to focus on his batting to help UAE return to winning ways.

Total support to new captain

Star opening batter Waseem clarified his position, saying: “I have decided to step down as captain to concentrate on my batting in the ODI format. My best wishes are with the new captain, and I will be giving him my full support.”

The UAE ODI squad for the CWC League 2 sees the return of some home-grown talents. Vriitya Aravind, who recently led Gulf Giants to the title in the DP World ILT20 Development Tournament, is back, while all-rounders Dhruv Parashar and Tanish Suri have been rewarded for their impressive performances during the Emerging Players tournament and the UAE Falcons’ tour of Namibia. Notably absent is Alishan Sharafu, who has a better track record in the Twenty20 format.

Chopra’s background and preparation

Rahul Chopra, who previously played cricket in the Indian state of Haryana, moved to the UAE in 2021 and has been a consistent performer for Ajman in the ECB D50 league. The 29-year-old made his UAE debut in an ODI against Canada in February and in the Twenty20 format against Scotland the following month.

His recent half-century against India A last week must have boosted his confidence.

“We want to play positive cricket, and the first match will set the tone for the rest of the tournament. A win will help us carry that momentum through the tournament. Playing against India A and Pakistan A is really challenging, and the standards are very high. So we take the positives from that game and move on in the CWC League 2.”

UAE’s upcoming schedule in CWC League 2

The UAE will face Oman in the opening match, and their recent win against the hosts should add to their confidence. Their second match will be against the Netherlands on November 3, followed by another clash with Oman on November 7. The UAE’s last match of the tri-series will be against the Netherlands on November 9.

 ICC CWC League 2, Oman — UAE’s matches:

November 1: Oman vs UAE

November 3: UAE vs Netherlands

November 7: UAE vs Oman

November 9: Netherlands vs UAE